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Mothers who live on farms and consume farm milk during pregnancy appear to provide their offspring with protection against allergies, scientists have found.Researchers at University Children's Hospital in Munich, Germany, analysed 18 farming mothers and 59 non-farming mothers.They found that exposure to farms during pregnancy affects the unborn baby's T regulatory cells, which are thought to suppress immune responses and contribute to the development of a healthy immune system.Lead researcher Dr Bianca Schaub commented: 'We found that the babies of mothers exposed to farms have more and better functioning regulatory T cells.'The effect was strongest among those mothers who entered barns or drank farm milk.'The findings were presented at the American Thoracic Society's international conference in Toronto and Dr Schaub concluded that they may help scientists to develop an 'effective preventive strategy, perhaps even a vaccine, against allergic diseases'.